Disaster - Peak TNG

[ananta]

The problem with “Disaster” for me is that it totally lacks tension, urgency and any real sense of threat. Perhaps that’s to do with the way it’s directed and scored? It’s a nice piece of fluff, it’s reasonably entertaining and fun, but it meanders and utterly lacks conviction and any real sense of drama (something common to a lot of season five).

 

[DonIago]

I suppose in this day and age if they made the episode they could more easily do FX work and such to amp up the peril perception, but for back then...I don't really know what else they were supposed to do, especially since it's a given that no major characters are going to die and the ship isn't going to blow up.

 

[ananta]

I suppose in this day and age if they made the episode they could more easily do FX work and such to amp up the peril perception, but for back then...I don't really know what else they were supposed to do, especially since it's a given that no major characters are going to die and the ship isn't going to blow up.

I think for me it was down to the rather limp directing and score. I found DS9’s attempt, “Civil Defence” a better episode (although it had Dukat and Garak, so it was always destined to be). Still, I do like “Disaster”; it’s just the pacing and tension is a little lacking.

 

[cgervasi]

Given the other choices of O'Brien (non-enlisted) or Ensign Ro (an ensign, obviously), who would you have put in command instead? Troi taking command wasn't supposed to be a situation that would tend to happen, it was just how the chips fell in this particular situation.

I think there's a specific protocol in the service for this. I think a chief, like O'Brien, outranks an Ensign. I think a Lieutenant outranks a chief, but the chief often has more experience, so the Lieutenant has to be careful to listen to a chief's advice and give them respect but not let the chief start acting like the boss. I think staff officers like doctors and lawyers are outside of this command structure and can only give orders in their narrow field of expertise.

This is just what I've gleaned from Star Trek and a little from what my dad told me about serving in the US Navy.

 

[fireproof78]

I think there's a specific protocol in the service for this. I think a chief, like O'Brien, outranks an Ensign. I think a Lieutenant outranks a chief, but the chief often has more experience, so the Lieutenant has to be careful to listen to a chief's advice and give them respect but not let the chief start acting like the boss. I think staff officers like doctors and lawyers are outside of this command structure and can only give orders in their narrow field of expertise.

This is just what I've gleaned from Star Trek and a little from what my dad told me about serving in the US Navy.

@Shamrock Holmes can correct me were I err, but when I last read the regulations on naval officers there were 3 types: line, unrestricted line, and staff. Line officers were specifically trained for command of a combat vessel and operated in a different chain of command, and could only be relieved within that chain. Unrestricted could move freely up and down that chain based upon operational authority.

Staff do not have combat authority to command line vessels or line officers.

An officer will generally always outrank an enlisted rate, even an Ensign. But, a smart Ensign will do well to listen to the senior chiefs as they usually have the experience to provide appropriate advice.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

@Shamrock Holmes can correct me were I err, but when I last read the regulations on naval officers there were 3 types: line, unrestricted line, and staff.

I'm by no means an expert, but that's sounds about right. Though it should be noted that navies are particularly strict on this, most other armed forces tend to grade all commissioned officers save medical/health services (and presumably most science officers).

Line officers were specifically trained for command of a combat vessel and operated in a different chain of command, and could only be relieved within that chain.

Unrestricted line officers are specifically trained for combat and can certainly only be relieved of command within that chain, though I'm less certain that they can't be relieved period within that chain. JAG and medical officers are both staff corps but probably have some general authority to do so.

Unrestricted could move freely up and down that chain based upon operational authority.

Up/across certainly. Down is probably fairly rare save for return to their primary post/assignment after "acting up".

Staff do not have combat authority to command line vessels or line officers.

Combat authority, no.

As noted above, they may have some administrative authority over line officers within their own competencies.

Certain Restricted Line and Chief Warrant Officers may also be appointed to command positions (mostly ashore) within their own communties, though some CWOs can also be appointed to command boats or minor non-combat ships.

An officer will generally always outrank an enlisted rate, even an Ensign. But, a smart Ensign will do well to listen to the senior chiefs as they usually have the experience to provide appropriate advice.

Absolutely true up to junior NCOs, senior NCOs are a bit more complicated as they can be viewed as having a certain amount of "delegated authority" from the commissioned officer that they are advisor/aide to.

 

[Admiral Qu'irk]

The problem with “Disaster” for me is that it totally lacks tension, urgency and any real sense of threat. Perhaps that’s to do with the way it’s directed and scored? It’s a nice piece of fluff, it’s reasonably entertaining and fun, but it meanders and utterly lacks conviction and any real sense of drama (something common to a lot of season five).

I vaguely recall, but DS9's "Starship Down" took aspects of "Disaster" and retooled them - and for the better. I remember not quite liking it first time around because I was hung up on "Oh now they're copying TNG plots like how TNG copies TOS plots", but a later rewatch had me appreciating the heck out of it. Definitely is worth a rewatch...

 

[DonIago]

I'd say SD is kind of a hybrid of "Disaster" and "Balance of Terror". "Disaster" for the crew being paired off in unconventional ways, BoT for the enemy threat that Our Heroes need to come up with clever ways to defeat.